Magnificent active heart helix

Magnificent active heart helix

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) managed to capture this beautiful spiral galaxy with a jumper - Messier 77. You have a view of the luxurious sleeves with dust paths

The Galaxy Messier 77 seems calm, but it is a deceptive impression. In fact, it is one of the closest active galaxies. The core is so bright that it can overshadow the rest of the territory.

Active galaxies are considered one of the brightest universe objects. They emit a maximum of light in all varieties (gamma, x-rays, radio and microwaves). M77 belongs to the Sayfertovsky type II galaxies.

The brightness is created by radiation from the center - an accretion disk surrounding a supermassive black hole. The material falling into it is compressed and heated to extreme temperatures. The accretion disk is covered with a thin pontoon gas and dust structure - the torus. Inspection of the galaxy in 2003 was the first time that it was possible to resolve this structure. To create this frame took four different wavelength ranges (red, blue, purple and pink). In the foreground is the star of the Milky Way, showing the diffraction peaks. In addition, more distant galaxies are noticeable.

M77 lives in the constellation of China and is 47 million light-years distant. This is one of the largest galaxies in the Messier catalog. It is so massive that its gravity twists neighboring galaxies.

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